


Keith's Tiny Adventure

by TealPaladin



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, M/M, Macro/Micro, Shrinking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-08-07 19:09:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7726357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TealPaladin/pseuds/TealPaladin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Keith's mind is infiltrated by Witch Haggar, he wakes up to find himself shrunken down to an inch tall. How will he pilot the Red Lion now?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Keith couldn’t sleep, which both annoyed and confused him. Sure, he always had a lot on his mind, but spending virtually all of his free time training usually left him exhausted enough to sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. So why couldn’t he fall asleep? His thoughts weren’t drifting, and he didn’t feel the least bit tired. As he lay there, he also became aware of a dull pain in the back of his head. He grunted and turned over, pulling his blanket tightly over him.

“Go to sleep,” he said out loud, after saying it in his head over and over. “Just close your eyes, relax, and go to sleep.” Trying to get more comfortable, he tossed the blanket off, but now, he was too cold. He grumbled and reached for the blanket, grasping blindly in the dark as his hands fumbled over his sheets. Only, they didn’t feel like his sheets anymore. The bed felt hard and wet. Grunting, he opened his eyes...and bolted upright.

His bed was gone, along with the entire room. He didn’t know where he was, but it seemed like an endless landscape. The ground he lay on was a pale gray surface, marked with curved and lines. Above him stretched a spiraling violet sky, unmarked by stars. He stood up, spinning around, looking for signs of anything else in this dismal void besides himself. But it seemed he was utterly alone.

“What’s going on?” he called out, trying desperately not to panic. “Where am I? Did something happen to the ship?”

In the silence of this place, he heard a soft, yet terrifying voice reply. “Such a strong spirit, but such a weak mind….”

Keith spun around, trying to trace the source of the voice, but it seemed to echo from all around him. “Who’s there?” he demanded, reaching for his bayard, only to find he didn’t have it. He kept spinning around, hoping to find whoever was speaking to him.

“So easy to touch...so easy to break.” The voice had a source now. Keith spun on the spot and found himself staring at a cloaked figure. A hood concealed much of its face, but as it looked up at him, he could see long white hair, grayish-purple skin, and glowing yellow eyes.

“You!” he cried, taking a step back. “You’re that Galra witch, aren’t you?”

The figure approached him, and though he knew he should run, he also knew he had nowhere to go. “You understand how foolish it is to flee from me,” breathed Haggar, her voice rugged and cracking. “There can be no escape.”

Keith tensed. “Okay, then I’ll fight you with my bare hands!” He lowered himself, raising his fists up before charging at her, only to have her disappear into a cloud of smoke. He spun around again to find her standing where he was just a second ago. “Where are we?” he demanded from her. “Where have you taken me?”

Haggar let out a slow, guttural laugh. “We haven’t gone anywhere, Paladin. Or should I say, you haven’t gone anywhere. We’re in a place only you have ever known, until now, that is.”

Keith lowered his hands, staring at her as he worked it out. “We...this is all in my head,” he said, realizing. “You’re in my head!”

Haggar smiled. “Perhaps your mind is not so weak after all. But no matter, I’ve sealed the bond. It is already done. My magic shall transform you, so that even your friends will become your enemies. You will know true fear, once you are totally powerless, and at the mercy of the world around you.”

Keith grit his teeth. “What the heck are you talking about, witch? Stop with the games!” But Haggar withdrew, laughing softly, and the world around him seemed to shift and turn. The next thing he was aware of, he was falling into darkness, screaming and flailing for anything to grab onto.

He landed on a soft surface, feeling it give slightly under him. He seemed to be somewhere else entirely. The ground beneath him was the same color as his sheets, only it stretched out into a wide plain, with many hills and ravines. Above him, a gray expanse. The ground felt warm, and seemed to me made of small ropes interwoven together. He narrowed his eyes. Curious, he turned towards a lighter part of the field of ropes, seeing what looked like a break in the gray expanse, opening up into something else. He walked along a large hill that stretched out on his right, half-expecting to see Haggar emerge from behind it. Eventually, he came to the end of the expanse above him and stepped out, looking above it.

His jaw dropped. Balling his hands into fists, he shook his head and backed up, staring at what rose above him. “No, no! This can’t be happening! This—this is all just some crazy dream!” Rising over him, like another sky, was a mottled ceiling, the ceiling of his bedroom. The field he walked through was his sheets, and the gray fabric that stretched above that was his blanket. Behind him, his pillow rose like a mountain. He breathed heavily, frantically looking around, noticing how every feature in his room was now absolutely enormous. He compared himself to a glass sitting on the nightstand, and guessed that he was now approximately one inch tall.

“Okay, don’t panic, don’t panic,” he told himself, taking deep, slow breaths. “I’m...tiny. I’m really, really tiny. That witch must have shrunk me. Oh man, how am I going to get out of bed?” He ran over to the edge and looked down, immediately reeling back. It was a long way, like looking off the roof of a skyscraper. A fall from this height would splatter him. “Okay, I clearly can’t just jump off. But I can’t climb, unless….” He turned to see that, after he threw his blanket off of him, a corner of it dangled off the side of his bed, all the way down to the floor. “That will do!” He ran along the side of his bed, until he reached the blanket, jumping onto its surface. It had less give than his sheets, and the threads were much thicker, which Keith was grateful for. It would make climbing down much easier. Still, as he approached the edge again, he felt a pang of unease. “Okay, okay, you can do this.” Grabbing onto each of the threads, he placed his boots against the rough surface and began his slow descent, trying not to look down at the floor. It was a slow, arduous climb, but eventually, Keith reached the smooth, tile floor and stepped off onto it, proud of his achievement.

The feeling of pride didn’t last long. Staring up at his room from down on the floor reminded him of just how small he was. A chair in the corner was bigger than the entire castle. He felt like a puny bug. He gulped, walking away from his bed across the vast tile floor towards the door. Looking up at it, rising above him like a great monolith, Keith became aware of a second problem: How was he going to open it? It was airtight, so even at his size, he couldn’t squeeze under it or through it. The panel was mounted to the wall, far out of his reach. He kept walking up to it, trying to puzzle it out. There had to be some way….

Suddenly, as if responding to his wishes, the door slid open. Keith was initially surprised and relieved, until he saw why. Standing on the other side of the door, towering over him, was Lance. Keith tilted his head back, staring up at him in awe. The Blue Paladin was the size of a Galra ship, maybe even bigger. He stumbled back, terrified, but desperate for help. “L-Lance!” he called, waving his arms frantically. “Lance, buddy, down here! Look down, can you hear me? Lance!”

Lance stepped in, looking around. He knew Keith liked to wake up early, but he didn’t know he’d already be training this early in the morning. Then again, Keith was always a tryhard. “Already up Keith?” he asked, looking round the room. He walked towards the bed, seeing his bayard still sitting on his nightstand. “Weird, Keith wouldn’t go anywhere without this.” He picked it up, shrugged, and walked out of the room with it. “Whatever, I’ll give it to him when I find him. With that, he left the room, letting the door slide shut behind him.

Keith was trembling, partly out of fear, and party due to the powerful tremors of Lance’s footsteps as he walked in. The ground shook violently, and Keith found it hard to stand up. “LANCE, STOP! DON’T COME CLOSER!” But above the sound of the footsteps, Keith could barely hear his own voice. He staggered back, trying to run, but fell flat on his face as another footstep knocked him off balance. Groaning, he pulled himself back up, noticing a shadow being cast over him. He turned around, gazing upward to see the patterned rubber tread of Lance’s sneaker above him, quickly falling closer. “LANCE NO!” he cried, stumbling as he ran. He could hear the whooshing of the appendage above him as everything grew darker. He dared not look up, only ahead at where the shadow ended. Desperate, he leaped forward, stretching himself out, hoping he’d make it in time. He tucked and rolled across the floor just as a blue and white sneaker the size of a two-story house crashed down beside him. He was terrified, but knew he had to act quickly. Lance had stopped, and there was only one way to get out of the room. He turned back to the sneaker behind him and, taking a few steps back, charged at it, aiming for the loose shoelace that dangled on the side. He jumped, reaching out for it, and grabbed on, slipping just a little but managing to brace himself against the side of the shoe. His hands had sustained a bit of rope burn, but he at least managed to get off the floor. Quickly, he pulled himself up onto the shoe, collapsing onto the laces, totally exhausted. He looked up to see that Lance had taken his bayard, and grit his teeth. “Hey, don’t touch that! Put it back!” But of course, Lance couldn’t hear him. He turned and walked, and Keith found he had to grab on tight to avoid falling off. Lance left the room, and Keith struggled to hold on, but it was no use. The rising, turning, and falling was making him dizzy, and he soon tumbled off onto the floor while Lance walked off, oblivious to what just happened.

Keith laid there for a moment, trying to process it all. A part of him still wanted to believe that this was all just a crazy dream. But the aching in his bones reminded him that it was all too real. He grunted in pain as he stood up, searching around him. He was out of the room, at least, but he was right in the middle of the hall. If Lance was up, then the others might be waking up soon too, and he didn’t want to get caught in a stampede. He quickly made his way to the side of the hall, pressing his back to the wall. He tried to figure out what to do next. If he avoided the other Paladins, he wouldn’t get crushed...but how would he get around? How would he eat, or pretty much do anything? On foot, it would take him hours...days to cross the castle. Each room was like a massive city on its own, even this small hallway seemed to stretch on endlessly. The grim reality of his situation had set in, and the Witch’s voice echoed in his head. “Totally powerless...at the mercy of the world around me….” Keith swallowed hard, then shook his head. “Ugh, no! I’m not powerless! I can do this! I just need to find a way to—“

He heard a door open behind him, and the familiar booming tremors of footsteps, only these were different. He turned, and gasped, staring up in awe. Shiro was even more massive than Lance, his head almost out of view. Keith had to crane his had all the way back to see it. “Sh-shiro!” he cried out, but knew it was no use. If Lance couldn’t hear him, Shiro couldn’t either. He braced himself against the wall, anticipating the Black Paladin’s huge boots. But as Shiro approached, he suddenly stopped beside Keith, looking around him. “C-can he hear me? Shiro? SHIRO!”

Shiro turned around. “Hey Keith, Lance, you guys up yet? Pidge? Hunk?” His voice was deafeningly loud. Keith had to cover his ears. He knew he didn’t want to stay here in the hall, but he knew it would take forever to get anywhere else. Unless…. He turned his attention to Shiro’s boot, directly in front of him. It was his only shot of getting off the floor and out of the hallway. Bracing himself again, he made a mad dash towards the boot and leaped at it, grabbing onto the edge as tightly as possible, just as Shiro resumed walking. But Keith wasn’t going to let go this time. He held on for dear life, even trying to scale the boot, getting dizzy from the constant shifting, pounding, and shaking. He made his was on top of it, holding on tightly. He didn’t know where Shiro was going; the whole room around him seemed to be a blur. Only when the foot rested was he able to get a quick look at his surroundings. He must be headed for the dining room. Shiro stopped again for a moment, and Keith found himself in front of another enormous door. Shiro opened it, continuing down another hall. Keith just hoped that this crazy ride would be over soon. He didn’t know how much more of this he could take.

After what seemed like an eternity, Shiro finally entered the dining room, where Lance, Coran, and Allura were already waiting. Keith felt like he’d been hanging off of the wing of an airplane, clinging tightly to the boot, though his hands were going numb. Shiro took a seat in the middle, as he usually did, and the horrible ride seemed to be over, at least, for the time being. Keith took a moment to recuperate, figuring out where he was exactly. Under the table, he could see everyone’s feet and legs, but could only see Lance, Coran, and Allura. Hunk and Pidge must not be up yet. Regardless, now was a perfect opportunity to try and get their attention. If he could just climb up to Shiro’s knee, he could walk all the way along his waist, where hopefully he would be within earshot. But as he approached Shiro’s leg, he realized that the tight, form-fitting black fabric would not be easy to scale. He was already tired from the long ride, and wasn’t sure he had the energy to climb. Still, it was no or never. Once Shiro was done, he’d be off to the training room, and Keith would certainly fall off on the way there. Rubbing his hands together, he approached the front of Shiro’s leg and gripped it tight. His fingers were able to grab hold of the strong threads, but it would be hard to get decent footing. He would have to rely solely on his dexterity and upper body strength to scale up to his knee. With a grunt, he heaved himself up, trying not to focus on the burning pain in his muscles. It didn’t seem that far up, he thought. If he just focused on the goal and nothing else, he’d make it. Keeping his eyes on Shiro’s knee, he continued climbing, right up along the shin. As he scaled, he could also hear their voices far above him.

“Surprised Hunk and Keith aren’t here yet,” Shiro commented after swallowing a glob of green goo. “They’re usually the first to breakfast.”

“Well, knowing Keith, he’s likely down in the training room,” said Allura.

“Uh, unless he’s seriously slacking off, I doubt that,” said Lance, producing the red bayard. Shiro turned and glared at him.

“Why did you take that from Keith?” he demanded, trying to grab it away from him. “He needs his bayard at all times."

Lance looked quite smug. “Because, he left his room without it.”

“What?!” Allura stood up, staring hard at Lance. “A Paladin would never go anywhere without their bayard. It’s crucial to be able to defend yourself at all times. Keith may be hot-headed at times, but he would never make such a grave mistake.”

Lance smiled, happy that Keith was the one making the stupid decisions for a change. “Well, he did.” He set the bayard down on the table. “And I don’t think he went to the training room without anything to train with.”

Coran turned to Allura. “Well, it’s certainly possible that he just went up to his Lion and forgot his bayard, or figured he wouldn’t need it.”

The door behind them opened, and Pidge and Hunk emerged, joining the rest of the Paladins. “Good morning!” said Pidge, smiling at them. Hunk, on the other hand, seemed to still be half-asleep.

“Mmm, good morning...” he mumbled, taking his seat at the far end.

"Any of you seen Keith?” asked Shiro, starting to get a little concerned. “He seems to be MIA, and he left his bayard in his room.”

Pidge blinked. “That doesn’t seem like Keith, he’d never leave his bayard behind.”

“Oh, so now Keith’s a perfect Paladin who’s not allowed to make mistakes?” said Lance, grumbling to himself.

“Lance, just because you left your bayard behind on two separate missions doesn’t mean the rest of us are so forgetful. Anyway, if Keith is missing, there’s an easy way to track him down.” She reached into her pocket and produced a rectangular device. “I modified my scanner to monitor all activity in the ship in case we get some stowaways or hijackers. I also set it to track each of our individual bio-signatures. I...don’t like to use it, so everyone can have their privacy, but since Keith is really missing, it might be necessary to….” She trailed off. “Well, this isn’t right at all.”

Shiro leaned in. “What is it?”

Pidge set the scanner on the table so that everyone could see. “It clearly show’s Keith’s bio-signature right on top of Shiro’s. That doesn’t make any sense.”  
The Paladins leaned in, seeing a red dot bleeping right where Shiro was sitting. “That’s really weird,” said Hunk. “What if, like, Keith somehow got absorbed into Shiro, or turned into a ghost and is possessing his body?!” He whimpered softly to himself as he sat back down.

Pidge looked annoyed. “First of all, Hunk, there’s no such thing as ghosts. Second, it’s probably just a glitch. I don’t like to admit it, but maybe I messed up with the tracker somehow.” She turned it off and started fiddling with it. Shiro, on the other hand, stood up from the table.

“Where are you going?” Allura asked. “You hardly touched your food!”

“I’m going to go look for Keith,” he said plainly. “He couldn’t have gone far.” With that, he walked out of the room.

Listening to their conversation drove Keith crazy. He wanted to interject after every word they said, letting them know what was going on, but their voices were so loud, and his was so tiny. There was no way they would hear him. He continued to scale Shiro’s leg, irritated by Lance’s comment about everyone holding him to a higher standard. After what seemed like forever, he finally crested the massive knee of Shiro’s right leg. He laid once again on the soft surface of the fabric, panting and heaving, trying to catch his breath and recover. He didn’t think he could climb anymore. His fingers were numb and raw, and his arms felt like they were going to fall off. After taking a moment to catch his breath, he slowly stood up and started hurrying along Shiro’s thigh, towards his belt that gave way to the massive, rugged cliff that was Shiro’s torso. He saw the left leg on his right, and the gap between them tapered towards Shiro’s crotch. Keith noted, with some embarrassment, that there was a slight bulge protruding from the fabric. He tried not to look at it, focusing instead on what was directly ahead of him. If he stood on Shiro’s lap, he might be seen, or heard. But if Shiro stood up...he’d be in serious trouble. Hurrying over to the belt, until the fabric curved up and he could run no further, Keith began jumping and yelling frantically. “SHIRO! DOWN HERE! I’M IN YOUR LAP! SHIRO, LOOK DOWN!” He soon realized a huge problem. Shiro’s pecs were literally so massive, the eclipsed his view of Shiro’s face, which means Shiro wouldn’t even see him if he looked down. He backed up a bit, until he could see his face without being under the table. “SHIRO! LOOK DOWN, PLEASE! IT’S ME, KEITH!” He tried jumping up and down on his leg, anything to get his attention, but nothing seemed to work. He collapsed on the thigh, tired and despondent. “This is impossible, he’ll never hear me.”

Suddenly, the ground beneath him shifted. Keith realized, with horror, that Shiro was standing up. “No, NO!” He grabbed on as tightly as he could, holding on to Shiro’s pants for dear life. The Paladin announced that he was going to look for Keith, then turned and started walking. Each step sent a mighty tremor through the leg, forcing Keith to grip tightly...but he couldn’t hold on for much longer. His arms and hands were already tired, and each footstep threatened to shake him off. It was a long way down...and there was no way he could survive the fall. “Shiro...please...” he whispered hoarsely, struggling to maintain his grip. “Please notice me Shiro...I’m going to fall….”

This was it. He was going to fall to the ground, break his neck on impact. There would be no finding him then. To the rest of the Paladins, Keith may as well have just disappeared. There would be no one left to pilot the Red Lion, which means there would be no way to form Voltron, and therefore, no way to stop Zarkon. He closed his eyes tight. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Just a quick snap, and then nothing. His arms already hurt so bad, he just wanted it to end.

Then he thought of Shiro, and what might happen if his body was discovered. Would Shiro realize? Would he know that he struggled to get his attention? Would...would he blame himself? He imagined Shiro silent, stricken with guilt, unable to forgive himself for letting him die. He couldn’t let that happen. He could live with the universe being conquered by Zarkon, but not with Shiro blaming himself for it. With renewed vigor and determination, he scaled along the side of Shiro’s leg, turning towards his hand that swung by as he walked. If he could just jump...but it would have to be perfectly timed. He only had one shot at this. Positioning himself at Shiro’s hip, he turned and watched the hand as it swung, measuring the time in his head, waiting for the perfect opportunity to leap. He counted himself off. “One...Two...Three!” With an empowering yell, he jumped off, flying through the air, but falling faster than he anticipated. “No!” He reached out, certain that he miscalculated, and would hit the floor. But his arms found purchase on Shiro’s index finger, which he clung to for dear life, wrapping his legs around it for extra support.

“What the—?” Shiro jerked his hand up, shocked by the sudden movement on his hand. He thought it might have been a bug that go on the ship, or even one of the mice, but as he lifted his hand to his face, he saw something quite unusual. It didn’t look like a bug at all. In fact, it looked almost like….

“K-keith?” Shiro breathed, unable to believe his eyes. It was Keith alright, but he was no bigger than an inch tall. “Is that...really you? Oh my gosh, you’re so small, how did—?” he paused again. “Wait, are you okay? How did this happen? What’s going on?”

It was far too much at once. Keith, able to lay in Shiro’s hand, said nothing, only panted as he could finally relax, though he was sure he would have to put at least one arm in a sling after that stunt. How would he even get a sling that small though? Slowly, he began to laugh, both out of relief and at the absurdity of his situation.

“Keith…?”

Slowly, the Red Paladin sat up. “I-I’m okay!” he called up to Shiro, trying to wave his arms, but only managing to give a haphazard signal. It was incredible how huge Shiro’s face was at this size, like a massive, handsome billboard. He found himself being brought even closer, probably because Shiro had a hard time hearing him.

“What happened to you? You’re so tiny, did something go wrong with the ship again?” Shiro’s voice boomed over Keith, and he had to cover his ears.

“Dude, could you talk a little quieter? It’s like a megaphone!”

Shiro bit his lip. “Oh, s-sorry,” he whispered.

Sighing, Keith began to explain. “I couldn’t sleep all last night, and when I tried to, I found myself face-to-face with that Galra witch. She had somehow gotten into my head. She said...she said I had a weak mind, and that she would transform me to make me vulnerable...like this.”

Shiro hung onto every word, though he had to strain a little to hear it. “Haggar did this to you? But how?”

Keith shrugged. I don’t know. Shiro...I’m tired. I want to know just as much as you do, but I haven’t eaten or slept, my arms feel like they’re atrophied, and I almost died trying to reach you.”

Shiro gasped. “D-did I hurt you?” he asked, concerned. “Did I almost—?”

“N-no!” Keith lied, shaking his head. He regretted even mentioning it now. “No, you didn’t do anything, promise. It...it was all Lance.”

Shiro smiled. “Well, I’m glad you’re safe at least. What are we going to do with you though?” He turned back to the dining room. “How will the others react?”

Keith suddenly thought of what he’d be subjected to once Lance found him at this size. “Uh, can we hold off bringing me into the dining room for now? I kind of want to just sleep.”

Shiro nodded. “Of course. I’ll let everyone know. Here, I’ll take you to my room, you can sleep on my pillow.”

* * *

Shiro’s room was identical to Keith’s albeit much cleaner. Shiro didn’t seem to have any possessions, and he even made his bed after he got up. He gently lowered he hand onto the pillow, allowing Keith to walk off onto its soft surface. He collapsed on it, burying his face into the plush pillowcase.

“Are...you going to be okay here by yourself?” asked Shiro. Keith raised his arm, giving him tiny thumbs up. Smiling, Shiro stood back up. “Get some rest. I’ll come get you in a few hours.” He turned the light off and slipped out of the room, while Keith turned over. The pillow had a faint smell to it, heady, yet slightly musky. It smelled like...Shiro. Smiling inwardly, Keith closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, more comfortable than he had been in a long time.


	2. Chapter 2

Shiro wanted to give Keith as much time as possible to rest, but after informing the others about what happened to him, he found he couldn’t sate their curiosity. They were eager to see Keith for themselves, Lance especially. He reluctantly returned to his room after about an hour of stalling. Slowly, he opened his bedroom door, seeing the tiny Paladin sprawled out on his pillow, fast asleep. He smiled inwardly. Keith looked so peaceful, he hated to disturb him. He walked across the floor as gingerly as he could, but it seemed that, at Keith’s size, anything would wake him up. He bolted up at the first step, looking around frantically. He seemed confused at first, maybe believing that the entire ordeal had been a dream. But, looking down at himself, he sighed and got up slowly, rubbing his eyes.  
  
“I’m really sorry to wake you up,” said Shiro sheepishly. “It’s just...the others are concerned about you, and they’re curious. They won’t rest until they’ve seen you with their own eyes.”  
  
“And it seems I won’t rest either,” Keith mumbled to himself.  
  
Shiro lowered his hand beside Keith, giving him room to climb on. “We should probably just get this over with,” he whispered. “After that, I’ll see to it that you’re not disturbed.”   
  
With another stifled yawn, Keith ambled onto Shiro’s hand, laying down flat on his palm. It was soft, like the pillow, but much warmer. He could feel the body heat radiating up through Shiro’s skin. It felt...nice. He relaxed into it, and Shiro smiled down at him, gently raising his hand and keeping it steady as he walked out of the room.

* * *

“I don’t believe it!” said Allura, staring at the tiny figure that lay in Shiro’s hand. The Paladins had all crowded around him to get a better look. “He really is shrunken!”  
  
Keith covered his ears. The princess’s voice sounded like booming thunder above him. He turned over, looking tired and annoyed. “Look, he’s moving!” said Pidge, cramming herself between Hunk and Shiro. Keith wondered if every little thing he did would elicit a reaction from them.  
  
“Guys, keep your voices down,” whispered Shiro. “Don’t forget, sounds are much louder to him at his size. He can hear us just fine like this.”  
  
Allura smiled. “Sorry about that Keith,” she said softly. “But, you know, we’re just very concerned about this. Shiro told us that Haggar did this to you, is that true?”  
  
Keith stood up, rubbing his head. “Uh, yeah, I couldn’t sleep last night, and—“  
  
“I’m sorry,” Allura interrupted. “I can barely hear a word you’re saying.”  
  
Shiro lifted his hand up, and Keith cleared his throat. “I said,” he began loudly, “I couldn’t sleep last night, and when I was laying in bed, I woke up in a strange place. Haggar had gotten inside my head somehow. She said my mind was weak, and that she was going to transform me. I guess she was successful.”   
  
Allura looked worried. “This isn’t good. If she’s able to mentally link herself with the Paladins, she could do anything to them.”  
  
Lance scoffed. “Didn’t you hear him though? She said his mind was weak, which means he was just vulnerable to her magic.”  
  
Keith rolled his eyes. “Oh, and you think you have the mental fortitude to fight back against her?” he yelled up.  
  
Lance growled at him. “I bet I could whoop her butt in my sleep!” His voice was raised, and Keith had to cover his ears again as he winced at Lance’s volume.  
  
“Lance!” Shiro yelled back. “What did I say about keeping quiet—oh….” he looked down at Keith, who was curled up in the fetal position. “Um, s-sorry Keith,” he whispered.   
  
Keith groaned, standing back up. “Ugh, anyway, I don’t think I’ll be of much use like this. I’m not sure what you’re all going to do with me.”  
  
Hunk leaned in. “Do with you? What are you talking about Keith? You think we’re going to throw you away or something?”  
  
Keith shrugged. “Or put me in a pod, or send me back to Earth, or...something! I can’t fight and I can’t pilot the Red Lion, which means we can’t form Voltron, which means we have no way of stopping Zarkon now! I don’t know why Haggar didn’t just use her magic to kill me! I-I’m useless like this!”  
  
“Don’t say that,” said Shiro, minding his volume. “You’re still a member of Team Voltron. You’re just...incapacitated at the moment.” He looked up at Allura. “Is there anything we can do to reverse this?”  
  
Allura lowered her head. “I don’t...I’m not sure. I’ve never seen anything like it. I don’t understand her power, or how to counteract it.”  
  
“So it’s hopeless,” said Keith, staring down into Shiro’s palm.  
  
Shiro tensed, though he kept his palm steady. “There’s got to be something we can do. If we can defeat Haggar, or at the very least destroy her magic, it might undo this.”  
  
Lance looked unimpressed. “Oh yeah, just fly right into their base again to make our friend grow back. Oh, and do it all without forming Voltron. Sure, that will work.”  
  
Keith sighed. “I hate to say it, but Lance is right. She probably did this knowing you’d try to fix it. But if you go in there with four Lions, you’ll just be handing them to Zarkon.”  
  
“So what do you suggest we do?” said Shiro, showing a rare flash of impatience. “We can’t just...leave you like this.”  
  
Keith looked up at Shiro. “You have to. Shiro, I’m sorry, I wish there was another way. I can’t be a part of the team anymore. I’m...done.”  
  
Shiro was silent, staring down at Keith intensely. He refused to believe that this was it for him, that his friend was going to give up so easily. “It-it doesn’t matter,” he said finally. “So what if you’re tiny? You’re still a member of the team. You always will be.”  
  
Keith raised an eyebrow, a movement so small he was sure Shiro couldn’t see. “Okay, but what do you expect me to be able to do at this size? I can’t control the Red Lion like this! I’ll have to be carried everywhere, or risk getting stepped on. I’m so vulnerable, even loud noises hurt me.”  
  
Shiro drew his lips into a thin line. “Then I’ll carry you wherever you need to go, and I’ll make sure to keep things quiet for you.” He looked around the table, and corrected himself. “...We all will.”  
  
Keith balled his hands into fists, staring down. Why couldn’t Shiro understand? What was wrong with him? He supposed that, even if he shouted, the volume and anger in his voice wouldn’t translate well, so he simple stared back up and said, loudly and clearly, “I’m not anyone’s responsibility!” With that, he jumped off of Shiro’s hand and onto the table.  
  
“Keith, what are you doing?” Allura demanded, almost raising her voice. None of them wanted to grab Keith, out of fear that they might hurt him, but he was clearly running straight for the edge of the table. Shiro placed his hand below it, and Keith stood at the precipice, staring into the massive palm, and the floor far below it. Shaking slightly, he sat down, buried his face in his hands, and cried.  
  
No one said anything. Even Lance felt tremendous pity for him. Hunk tried desperately to hide his own tears, but failed miserably, sobbing into his sleeve. Shiro looked up, turning his attention to the others. “I think it’s best if I took him back to the room, let him rest some more. I’ll try talking to him, see how he feels.” Allura nodded solemnly, and Shiro placed his open palm in front of Keith. Ever so gently, he nudged him with his finger. “Keith...come on, we’re done now, you can go back to sleep.”   
  
The Red Paladin managed to get up and stumble into Shiro’s hand, wiping his eyes. Once he was safely in, Shiro cupped his hand and stood up, carrying him gently back to the room while the others turned and watched, looking very concerned for their friend.

* * *

Back in the room, Shiro lowered his palm on the pillow again. Keith stepped off, falling onto the pillow’s surface while Shiro took a seat next to him. He leaned in, casting a massive shadow over him, once again reminding Keith of just how diminutive he was. “So, do you feel like talking?” Shiro asked quietly. Keith lay still for a moment, so still that Shiro thought he’d actually fallen asleep already. But after a few moments, he turned over, his face slightly red.  
  
“Shiro...I can’t expect you to understand. You’re our leader, the head of Voltron. You’re undoubtedly the strongest one of all of us. I’ve always looked up to you.”  
  
Shiro smiled. “I’m flattered that you think about me that way. The others seem to look up to me as well.”  
  
Keith shook his head. “No, you’re not understanding. I’ve...always looked up to you. Before Voltron, before—….” He trailed off. “...Before Kerberos.”  
  
Shiro’s smile faded. “That seems like such a long time ago. Keith, why didn’t you ever tell me?”  
  
“I didn’t think you knew me that well. I thought...well, maybe you wouldn’t like me as much.” He looked down, his face turning red. Why was he saying all this? “I’m sorry, forget it. P-pretend I didn’t say anything, okay?”  
  
Shiro looked confused. “But why? I mean, Keith, to be honest, I’ve always liked you too. I thought you realized that. But ever since we became Paladins, I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t think it was...appropriate. You know, given what we have to do know, the fate of the universe on our shoulders—“

“Your shoulders,” Keith corrected. “I can’t help anymore.” He remained silent for a moment before slowly turning his head up, his eyes meeting Shiro’s. “You...really like me?”  
  
Shiro smiled. “Always thought you were one of the best. I couldn’t show preferential treatment though. Did you really get kicked out of the garrison?”  
  
Keith laughed. “They said I had a problem when it came to respecting authority.”

Shiro laughed in unison. “That definitely sounds like you. You were never one to take orders.”

Keith’s smile faded slightly. “Yeah, well, there’s no use being defiant at this size, is there? Not like I can say no to anyone.”

“What do you mean you can’t say no? No one’s going to force you to do anything around here.” Shiro leaned in, wondering where this was coming from.

“If I tried to move off this pillow, you’d stop me. I need help going from room to room. I’m in danger if I try to do things myself. Shiro, I’m totally reliant on you, and it makes me feel so...just so helpless.”

Shiro paused. He understood how Keith felt. “Listen to me. When I was a prisoner of the Galra, I had few choices. Most of them were to keep my head down and obey, or fight back, and face punishment. I won’t lie, I want to protect you and do what’s best for you, but if you say no, or if you refuse...if you don’t want to do anything, we won’t punish you the way the Galra did to me. You still have your freedom Keith.”

Keith stared down at his feet. He didn’t mean to imply that his situation was similar to Shiro’s. “I’m sorry Shiro, I know—I understand that what you went through was a lot worse. You were captured by the Galra. At least I have my friends with me. I just didn’t want to be a burden.”

Shiro smiled. “It’s my job to take care of my team. You’re still a member of the team, you always will be. It doesn’t matter if you can’t pilot the Red Lion.” He set his hand next to Keith, carefully turning his finger towards him. He hoped Keith wouldn’t flinch away, and thankfully, he didn’t. With extreme care, he prodded the tiny Paladin with his fingertip, and Keith laughed, bracing himself against the metal digit. “Now, why don’t you lay down and get some rest?”

Keith nodded, laying back against the pillow. He forgot how tired he was. “Thanks Shiro,” he called up, “for setting me straight.”

Shiro sat up, towering over him. He gave a firm, polite nod, then turned and walked out of the room, leaving Keith to get his rest.

* * *

Keith had been dreaming about fighting off a giant cockroach in the ship’s kitchen, when the dream dissolved around him, and he found himself plunged into darkness. He was slowly becoming more lucid, aware that he was asleep, and at the same time, confused as to what kind of dream this was. When the world around him resolved, he froze in a panic. The ground was curved, gray, and wet, and the sky above him was filled with purple, swirling clouds. He had returned to the place where Haggar cursed him.

He whirled around, expecting to see her behind him. “Where are you, witch?” he demanded from the darkness. “Show yourself!”

A distant cackle answered him. “It seems your friends are more careful than I realized. No matter….”

Keith tensed. “Come on!” he roared, his heart pumping. He was more furious than scared, ready to take on the witch that cursed him, and hopefully, force her to undo the shrinking. “I know you’re here!”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shape manifest. He turned and saw Haggar emerge from the darkness, hunched over, but with a wicked smile visible under her hood. He smiled back, eager to face off against her, especially since she seemed to be the same size he was. With a yell, he charged as her, his fist drawn back, but before he could make contact, she disappeared again.

“There’s nothing you can do.” Keith spun around again to find her standing behind him. “Though this is your domain, I have complete control over it. As long as you give yourself to me, then your mind and body are mine.” She raised her hand, spinning it, as if inviting him to come closer.

“I’ll never give myself to you!” roared Keith, trying to fight off the urge to charge her again. He knew it was hopeless, but he couldn’t stand to look at her.

“But you already have,” said Haggar plainly. “Even now, your body obeys my word, and you are powerless to stop it.”

Keith tensed. “What do you mean? What are you doing with my body? Answer me!” But Haggar only cackled, and disappeared into the shadow once more.

* * *

“So as long as everyone keeps an eye out for him, there’s no reason Keith can’t be given free reign of the bridge,” Allura was saying as she stood at the helm. “If independence really is important to him, then we should give him what he wants.”

Hunk, on the other hand, looked quite nervous. “Yeah, but...he’s so small! What if we don’t see him?”

“He’s wearing red, Hunk,” said Pidge, fiddling with her scanner. “He should be pretty easy to spot, so long as we keep the floors clean.”

Hunk gulped. “Okay, but, picture this: We’re cleaning up the floors, but we don’t see Keith, and someone sweeps him up with a broom, then dumps him in the garbage, and he gets shot out into space with the rest of the trash!”

Pidge rolled her eyes, unwilling to try and reason with Hunk. She gave a desperate look to Shiro, who sighed, placing a hand on Hunk’s shoulder.

“The princess is right. Keith needs us to look out for him and help him get around, but he also needs his space. It’s not fun having to be carried around everywhere you go.”

Lance scoffed. “Are you kidding me? I’d love to have a giant carry me wherever I wanted, like my own personal chauffeur.”

Shiro didn’t even have a response to that. He turned his attention back to Princess Allura. “Any word on finding Haggar, and a way to undo this?”

She lowered her head. “I’m afraid that will be quite difficult. She hardly ever leaves Zarkon’s side. We’re still not sure how she was able to infiltrate Keith’s mind.”

Hunk looked at her. “Do...do you think there’s a chance she could get into our heads too?”

Shiro shook his head. “Keith said that Haggar told him his mind was weak. She must have targeted him specifically, because he was vulnerable.” He waited for Lance to make a boasting remark, but to his surprise, Lance was silent. “Anyway, I’m going to go check up on him. I’ll be right back.” With that, he left the bridge and went back to down towards his room.

* * *

He made sure to walk quietly as he approached the door, hoping not to startle Keith. Pressing his hand against the panel, the door slid open, and he walked gingerly inside, turning his head with a warm smile towards the pillow. He froze. “K-keith?” He knelt down by the bed, checking the pillow again. “Keith, buddy?” He knew he should keep his voice down, but as he couldn’t find the tiny Paladin, he didn’t know what else to do. He pulled the blanket back. Maybe he simply fell off? But there was nothing near the pillow. His heart racing, he checked the floor down by his boots, stepping gingerly and carefully. “Keith, where are you? Keith?!” He stopped whispering now. In a panic, he got down on his hands and knees, looking under the bed, around it, everywhere he could, but there was no sign of him.

Keith was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Keith woke up, to find himself staring at a massive fluorescent light a mile above his head. He squinted and raised his hand up over his eyes as he tried to feel around. He was definitely no longer on the bed...Haggar must have moved him somehow. He was starting to dread going back to sleep again. He started to sit up, when a sudden, powerful tremor shook him, causing him to fall over. His arms flew out, bracing himself against the floor. Turning around, it was soon clear where the tremor had come from. There stood Shiro, or rather, sat Shiro, down on his hands and knees as he searched around the bed. But Keith wasn’t near the bed. He was off in the corner of the room.

Struggling to stand up, he winced and finally found his footing. “Shiro!” he called out, bringing his hands to his lips to carry his voice, though he wasn’t sure if that really worked. “SHIRO!” he called again. “OVER HERE!” He resorted to using his hands as a visual aid rather than an auditory one, waving them around frantically as he ran towards the gigantic Paladin. “SHIRO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? SHIRO!” To his astonishment, Shiro stood up. He could tell he was looking for him, but he was looking on the wrong place. If Shiro couldn’t hear him while crouched down, there’s no way he could hear him now. Keith stopped, craning his neck up to try and get a look at Shiro, but he was so massive, he couldn’t even see past his waist. 

He barely had time to register the danger he was in before Shiro started to move. A gigantic black boot lifted off from the ground and sailed through the air towards Keith, who fell back, scrambling desperately to get away. He turned to run, but when the boot descended, the resulting tremor caused him to fall forward and roll across the floor, dazed but otherwise unharmed. He knew he had to move. If he didn’t, Shiro would...he didn’t want to think about it. His heart was pounding. He pulled himself up and tried to run back, but the next footstep once again knocked him off his feet and forced him to roll. He grunted in pain this time, landing awkwardly on his shoulder. He checked it as he sat up, making sure he didn’t dislocate it, but it was hard to tell in the dark...the dark? Keith froze and looked up, only to see the horrifying, ominous treads of Shiro’s left boot. He screamed, trying to move, but knowing he’d have no escape. “SHIRO!” he yelled, raising his arm in a futile effort to shield himself from the millions of tons of weight that was about to crush him. “SHIRO, NO! P-PLEASE, DON’T STEP ON ME!” He cowered, feeling the air get displaced around him. He knew it was hopeless. He was going to get crushed. And Shiro...how would Shiro react, when he hears that mortifying crunch underfoot? He whimpered and closed his eyes, hoping it would be over soon. But as seconds passed, Keith realized it was taking a while to crush him. He stopped and looked up.

The boot was gone. Shiro was bent over, looking right at him. Keith would ordinarily have been thrilled to be found, but the look on Shiro’s face broke his heart. His eyes were wide, and his eyebrows were parted. His mouth was half-open as well. Shiro checked down just in time, but was far too close to killing Keith by accident, and seeing the tiny Paladin cowering beneath him was too much. He promised he would protect Keith, and he failed. If he hadn’t watched his step...Keith would be dead, and it would be all his fault. 

“Keith,” he whispered, and his voice was so dry and soft, even Keith had a hard time hearing it. “Keith, I...I didn’t know...Keith, I-I’m so sorry. I didn’t know...didn’t see….” He crouched down, and Shiro’s knee colliding with the floor sent him tumbling back once more. Shiro gasped, raising his hands as if to reach out, but stopping, not sure if he might crush Keith by accident by grabbing him too. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

Keith stood back up, knowing Shiro couldn’t hear his replies anyway, so he approached the Paladin, waiting until his gloved hand was brought down. He climbed onto a flat palm, gripping the fabric of the glove carefully while Shiro lifted his hand. It was like rocketing upwards on a massive elevator, and Keith tried to maintain his balance, spreading his stance for better traction. He was brought up directly beneath Shiro’s face, gazing up at his massive, concerned, apologetic eyes.

“I’m so sorry Keith,” Shiro repeated. “If anything happened to you...If I hurt you….”

“You didn’t!” cried Keith, hoping to alleviate Shiro’s concerns. “I’m—I’m okay, really! Haggar must have found a way to move me in my sleep...she could have killed me herself, but I think...I think she wanted you to do it. She said something about my friends being my enemies now.” Keith paused. “If I fall asleep again, she can take over. Who knows what she’ll do to me? Shiro, what am I supposed to do? I have to fall asleep eventually.”

Shiro’s mouth tightened. “Then I’ll watch over you. I’ll make sure she can never hurt you again. Next time you fall asleep, I’ll be there.”

Keith gazed up, his eyes glistening. “Shiro….”

“I need to keep you safe Keith. I can’t risk hurting you again. I want—I need you to be close at all times.” He looked around the room, thinking quickly. He could store Keith inside of some kind of container, but he didn’t want to subject him to that kind of isolation. He looked down at himself, his clothing. “I could put you in my pockets, but...I’m worried I might squash you if I bend over or sit down.”

Keith looked down, feeling a little dizzy when he realized how high up he was. He recoiled to the center of Shiro’s palm, looking back up. “Um, I don’t know Shiro, I think I’d be willing to risk tight spaces if it means I’m not going to fall.”

Shiro cupped his finger, noticing Keith’s discomfort. “Hm, somewhere you won’t fall out, or get squashed...someplace I can keep an eye on you at all times.” He kept his eyes fixed on Keith, but his gaze wandered further down to his chest. His vest fit rather snugly on him, so snug that Keith couldn’t fall out. And he wouldn’t get squashed in there either. Shiro smiled a bit, looking back at Keith. “I could put you up against my chest,” he suggested.

Keith looked up a blinked, certain he misheard him. “Um, w-what?” he asked, his cheeks going slightly pink.

“Think about it. You’ll be safe in there. You won’t fall or get crushed, and I’ll be able to feel you at all times, so if something happened, I’d notice immediately.”

Keith did think about it...and he realized Shiro was right. It was probably the safest place for him. Still, he was a little...uneasy about being in such a peculiar place, especially given the sheer size of Shiro’s pecs. Even when Keith was big, he noticed Shiro was quite well-built. Now, though, each pectoral was like a massive hill, with a deep crevasse between them. Keith gazed into the entrance of that crevasse, just below Shiro’s neck. His heart began to race. He looked back up at Shiro and nodded, and Shiro responded by bringing his cupped hand right up against his chest, turning it and letting Keith brace himself against the skintight gray fabric under the vest. 

“Ready?” Shiro asked, and Keith gave a muffled affirmative. Shiro kept his hand against his chest as he let Keith inside, tumbling between his pecs and landing in the soft, yet tight pocket formed by his muscles and the fabric of the vest. He looked down after removing his hand, making sure Keith was alright. The tiny Paladin moved a little, getting into a more comfortable position. Shiro couldn’t help but smile. He knew he had tremendously responsibility in keeping Keith safe, but he also thought the whole thing was pretty cute. He had a tiny person nestled up against him, something he never even considered being interesting. “Comfortable?” he asked.

Keith stopped moving and looked up. “Yeah, I...I’m good here, can you hear me?”

Shiro responded with a nod. “Let me know if you need anything, okay?”

“Alright. Um, Shiro?” He paused. He didn’t want to come off as cheesy, or too emotional, but in many ways, he owed Shiro his life, so the least he could do was say something. “...Thanks. For taking care of me.” He laid back, nestled snugly between the two mounds of muscle. He could feel warmth radiating through the skintight fabric, and laid his head against it. He didn’t want to sleep just yet, but knew he would have to eventually. 

Shiro looked down, smiling warmly. “I’ll always be here for you Keith.” 

The words echoed in Keith’s head, and he closed his eyes, smiling wide. He had so much privacy here, and he trusted Shiro completely. “Hey, Shiro?”

“Yes?”

“...Don’t tell the others I’m here.”

Shiro grinned. “I’ll keep this a secret.”

* * *

Shiro’s footsteps took some getting used to. The distant, rhythmic booming, coupled with the gentle shaking around him, initially made Keith uncomfortable, but after closing his eyes and laying back, he found it was actually quite soothing. Still, he remained awake, occasionally looking up to observe Shiro’s face from beneath. He couldn’t see past his cheekbones at all. It still took time to adjust to everything, realizing that he was literally being carried around inside of Shiro’s clothing, held in place by his pectoral muscles. He relaxed further into it. His chest had the perfect amount of softness, mixed with firmness. Maybe...a short nap couldn’t hurt….

Keith opened his eyes, and gasped. He was back. Back in the terrifying void, with the swirling gray expanse stretching out beneath him. “N-no!” he cried, spinning around. “Shiro! SHIRO! Are you there? C-can you hear me?”

A voice responded, but it wasn’t Shiro’s. “He can’t save you now….” A chill ran up Keith’s spine as he spun around quickly, searching for the witch.

“W-where are you? Show yourself!” He braced for another fight, ready to punish Haggar for everything she did to him. “I won’t let you get away with this!”

A malicious cackle echoed around him, with no discernible source. “There’s nothing you can do to stop me. I have already made the connection. Soon I will—…..” The voice stopped. Keith looked around, wondering what had happened. Suddenly, the ground began to shake, and Keith felt himself losing consciousness. “No, NO!” Haggar cried. “Impossible! ...I’ll be back! Every time you sleep, I’ll be waiting for you!”

Keith jolted. He was back in Shiro’s vest, and there was something huge hovering over him. He made it out to be Shiro’s finger. He gulped, still panting. Far above the outstretched finger, he could see Shiro looking down at him, concerned. 

“Keith, are you okay? You were mumbling in your sleep. Was it her? Was it...was it Haggar?”

Keith sat up slowly, then nodded. “Y-yeah, she tried to do something, but I guess you managed to wake me up before then. Shiro, she said she’d be back. Every time I fall asleep.” He paused. “I can’t go without sleeping, but if I nod off again….”

“I’ll be here,” said Shiro. “I told you, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

“But Shiro,” Keith began, biting his lip. “You can’t watch me all the time. I can’t ask you to protect me twenty-four/seven.”

Shiro smiled. “You don’t have to ask me. I’ll still do it.”

“Shiro….”

“I won’t let anything else happen to you. Haggar won’t touch you. And while I keep you safe, I’ll find a way to stop her and get you back to normal. You’ll be piloting the Red Lion again before you know it.”

Keith gazed up at Shiro’s smiling, reassuring face. “Shiro, I don’t know what to say. I’d be a goner without you.”

“And I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Keith paused. Looking up as Shiro, he could see a redness to his face that wasn’t just from his scar. He swallowed hard. “Shiro, I...I don’t know what to say.”

Shiro cleared his throat. “Anyway, we should probably go talk to the princess. I mean, I should. You just relax, okay?”

Keith nodded, laying against Shiro’s chest once again. “Alright. Hey, Shiro?”

“Hm?”

“...I don’t know what I’d do without you either.”

Shiro smiled as he walked out down the hall and continued smiling all the way up to the bridge. Keith spent the ride curled up between Shiro’s pecs, relaxed, but far from wanting to go back to sleep. When Shiro entered the bridge, he expected to find the princess standing at the helm. Instead, he found her standing off to the side with Coran, while a red light flashed overhead. He knew that couldn’t be a good sign. “Allura!” he called, hurrying across the room but maintaining his posture so as not to disturb Keith or cause him to slip. Allura spun around, looking frantic.

“Shiro! There you are. We need to get the other Paladins. A ship has set its tracker to us...we think it’s Galra.”

Coran turned as well, scratching his head. “Without Keith being able to pilot the Red Lion, you won’t be able to form Voltron! You’ll have to fight them with just your lions!”

Shiro took a deep breath, flexing his chest out and gently pressing on Keith. “How much time do we have?”

Allura’s eyes were fixed on the scanner. “Less than an hour, probably. We could try to outrun them, but if they have this sector under control, I can’t guarantee that a wormhole will lead us to safety. Zarkon’s empire is too massive to avoid.”

Shiro could feel Keith moving around, but over the sound of the scanner beeping frantically, he wouldn’t be able to hear his voice. He opted instead to raise a hand to his chest, very gently covering the spot where Keith lay. “It will be fine. We’ll put a stop to them.”

“Shiro—“ Allura protested, but the Black Paladin was already leaving the bridge, determined to make the Galra pay for what they did to him. And if he could get any information form them about Keith’s condition, then it would all be worth it.


	4. Chapter 4

Getting suited up proved difficult for Shiro. He considered taking Keith out, but wasn’t willing to risk losing him again. Still, he had to take extra time when putting on the chest piece, being very careful not to crush him. 

“Shiro, hold on, I...I can’t move!” Keith cried out, his voice muffled by the numerous layers of clothing that held him down. Shiro couldn’t make out exactly what he was saying, but guessed that Keith wasn’t very comfortable. His heart hammered, which sounded like a booming drum to tiny Keith.

“Keith, I’m sorry, this is the only way I can keep you safe. I’ll take you out as soon as we’re done, just try to hang on.” Admittedly, Shiro was aware of the danger of bringing Keith with him, but didn’t want to risk leaving him one the ship by himself, where Haggar could attack him again. He put his helmet on and quickly boarded his lion, taking off from the hangar.

Pidge, Lance, and Hunk were way ahead of him, which made them worry a bit. Shiro being their leader, he was always at the front, and never took long to get in his lion. “What were you doing?” Hunk asked over the comm line. “We were going to leave without you!”

“I had to take care of Keith,” Shiro admitted. It was half-true. What the others didn’t know was where Keith was. “Anyway, let’s focus on the task at hand. There’s a ship approaching us and Allura believes it to be a Galra ship. We can’t form Voltron, but I doubt we’ll need to. We’re going to disable their ion cannon so they can’t attack the ship, then destroy the drones until they’ve exhausted their supply.”

Lance raised an eyebrow, which was a tad redundant since no one could actually see his face. “Um, why don’t we just blast the ship to pieces like we usually do?”

Shiro’s grip on the stick tightened. “Because, we need to get information from the Galra about Keith’s...condition. If we can find out how Haggar is able to get into his mind, we may find a way to break the connection and hopefully bring him back to his proper size. Pidge and I will break into the hull while you and Hunk take out their defenses. We should be able to deal with the sentries ourselves once inside. From there, we’ll just see what we can find.”

“Roger that,” said Pidge, who seemed excited to be entering a Galra ship. Shiro assumed she would use the opportunity to find information on where her brother and father were being held. As long as it didn’t interfere...no, he couldn’t think like that. Pidge had every right to take the opportunity to search for her family, just as much as he needed to find a way to help Keith. The four lions flew in apparent nothingness. There was no Galra ship visible, but aboard the castle, the sirens kept blaring, and Allura watched the screen, fixated on the approaching vessel.

Finally, it came into view via hyperspace jump. Shiro watched the ship materialize before him. No sooner had it appeared, when it started firing at them, drones being dispatched from the hangar on top of the ship.

“Alright, look alive team!” Shiro encouraged. “You guys take out their defenses, we’ll try to get whatever we can from inside the ship.” 

“Ten-four!” replied Lance, firing a beam of ice over the ion cannon while Hunk slammed his lion into the side of the barrel, being repelled by a particle barrier. The two lions circled the top while Pidge and Shiro flew along the hull, searching for a good spot to break in. Pidge seemed hesitant, unsure of where to go, but Shiro was totally focused, and wasn’t about to wait. The black lion charged into the side, its head breaking through the hull of the ship and smashing the wall open, granting him entrance, but causing air to leak out from the passage. He sealed his helmet and disembarked. 

“Lance! Watch our lions!” he ordered, stepping off. Lance, who had been contending with over a dozen drones, grumbled back.

“Come on! I can’t do fifty things at once you know!” he complained. But Shiro didn’t respond. He ran down the hall, easily taking out two Galra sentries while a second tremor informed him that Pidge found a way in as well. He held a metal hand over his chest plate and inhaled sharply before turning off his communicator.

“It’s okay Keith, we’re in, just hang on.” His voice was tense, but Keith could tell he was trying to be reassuring. He was okay, for the most part, although the position he was forced to lay in wasn’t very comfortable. Still, at least he could still breathe well enough. The suit had plenty of ventilation. He braced himself against Shiro’s heaving chest, the man’s heartbeat pounding through his arm and into his own chest, like the rhythmic beating of a massive drum. Perhaps it was the fact that he couldn’t see what was going on around him, but Keith wasn’t very concerned. He trusted Shiro, and hoped desperately that this would all be over soon. If they managed to find a way to fix him...he could be back to normal before the day was done! He remained still, waiting for Shiro to update him on what was going on.

Shiro, on the other hand, was trying to be as quiet as possible. He could hear voices now, deep ones, and pressed himself as flat as he could against a wall while trying to listen. It sounded like someone was barking orders, and two others were responding. He wasn’t sure he wanted to take on three Galra now, especially since he didn’t know how many others were nearby. He kept himself hidden and waited until the sound of their footsteps faded before rounding the corner and continuing down the path. This certainly wasn’t the first time he had to sneak around a Galra ship, and he doubted it would be the last. He was able to conceal himself behind the large metallic pillars each time a pair of sentries walked by. His hand occasionally came up to his chest, waiting to feel for any indication that Keith was okay. The slightest movement from the tiny paladin’s legs informed him that Keith was holding up just fine. It seemed this mission might just go off without a hitch.

Of course, just as Shiro was beginning to gain confidence, he was confronted with his first major obstacle. The hallway he was following turned out into a massive atrium, where a double door was guarded by two Galra soldiers. He quickly pulled back, hoping he hadn’t been seen. He didn’t hear any cries or movements from the atrium, so he at least assumed that he wasn’t discovered. 

“Alright Keith,” he whispered, “it looks like there’s some trouble up ahead. I’m going to need you to hang on tight, okay? I promise, I won’t let you get hurt.” He knew he wouldn’t be able to hear Keith’s tiny voice from beneath all that armor, but he felt Keith press himself tighter against the chest, and he smiled. “Good, just stay there. I’ll handle this.” His right arm stretched out, emitting a violet light that ran all the way up to his bicep. Taking a deep breath, he readied himself and, with the agility of a lion, tore out of the hallway and charged at the soldiers. They had barely any time to react. The first one reached for his weapon, but it was knocked out of his grasp, just before Shiro’s fist slammed into his helmet, knocking him out and causing him to slide down against the wall. The second soldier had time to fire a few shots, but by then, Shiro rolled back, putting distance between them. He knew how many bursts their weapons could fire at a time, and he counted. As soon as the soldier exhausted his first round, he charged in, pouncing on him and grabbing the gun from his hand. With a victorious yell, and slammed the butt of the gun into his head, and the soldier collapsed next to his partner. Shiro took the weapon as his spoils and pressed his right hand against the interface on the door, opening it. “Piece of cake,” he said jovially, though he was still panting.

The next room had no other doors, and was completely unoccupied. In fact, the room seemed totally bare at first. There were no consoles, no monitors...nothing that seemed like it would be worth guarding. It wasn’t until Shiro made his way to the center when he noticed what was lining the walls. Large, glass cylinders containing a yellow substance, all of them stacked on top of each other, from floor to ceiling. Shiro blinked, remembering what this was.

“Quintessence,” he said aloud, confident that no one else was around. “Keith, it’s just quintessence, why would--?”

He felt it before he heard it; a sudden, ominous whooshing noise that indicated the appearance of a druid. He turned and faced the tall, hooded figure. Though he couldn’t see its face, he had the strangest feeling it was smiling fiendishly at him. He stepped back, readying his arm, when another druid appeared at his side. It was clear that their cover had been blown, and he couldn’t help but feel that the scene he made outside the door might have drawn unnecessary attention. He stepped back further, anticipating anything at this point. He made a promise to Keith, and he was going to keep that promise. Just as he was preparing a fight back, a voice echoed through the room that sent a chill down his spine.

“You were a fool to bring him here, Champion.” A third whooshing sound, and a cloaked figure with blue skin and long white hair appeared before him. Shiro tensed, taking a step back. 

“You,” he breathed. “You--...you’re wrong! Keith isn’t here!” He was a convincing liar, but Haggar only laughed, indicating that she knew the truth.

“You can’t lie to me. I’m bonded with him mentally. I know where he is at all times. All I needed was to get close enough, however. And thanks to you, he’s finally within my reach.” Her arm extended, and Shiro stepped back, instantly regretting bringing Keith along for the mission.

“Stay back!” he warned, expecting the witch to attack him. Instead, her hand cupped upwards, and a black mist swirled around her palm. Shiro suddenly felt a cold burst of air against his chest, and knew something was amiss the moment he clutched his hand against his armor, feeling for Keith. “Keith? Keith! Are you okay?”

Haggar laughed, opening her palm. The black mist around her hand parted to reveal Keith, standing there in her hand, just as confused as Shiro was. He was clearly disoriented, and didn’t even realize where he was just yet. But as he turned, gazing up at the towering, monstrous shape of the witch, his heart plummeted, and his eyes went wide. 

“H-Help,” was all he could squeak out, but his voice was so small and weak, his plea went unheard. Shiro didn’t need to hear, however. He ran towards her, arm outstretched, desperate to reclaim Keith.

“LET HIM GO!” he barked, and Keith shielded his ears from the booming voice that shook him to his core. Haggar recoiled, curling her fingers around Keith and trapping him against the chalky skin of her palm. Shiro’s robotic hand gripped her robe, but just as he found purchase, the cloth slipped from his fingers like smoke. It took him a second to realize that the rest of Haggar slipped away too. He stood alone in the room, trembling, unable to believe what had happened. He lost Keith. He lost him again.

* * *

Keith didn’t have time to process what was happening. It all happened so quickly, he still wasn’t sure if it really happened. But here he was, bracing himself against Haggar’s fingers as she carried the small, helpless paladin down a long, dark corridor, far away from Shiro. He grit his teeth as he tried not to panic. What was she going to do with him? Was she going to dispose of him? He hoped, that, if that was her plan, she would have done it already. But if she didn’t want to kill him just yet...what could she possibly want with him? His heart pounded as he struggled to hold himself steady and make out his surroundings. He could see that they were moving towards a large door. Or at least, a door that was quite large to him. Being held up in Haggar’s hand did make him feel less tiny though, as long as he didn’t consider how long of a fall it was to the floor. The door drew closer, and opened on its own, welcoming them into another room that was like a stadium to Keith, but not much larger than a bedroom to the others. 

“I’m glad you could join us,” said Haggar finally as she raised her hand up to her face. Keith stared up at her, horrified. At his size, he could make out every wrinkle, scar, and blemish, and he could see her sharp, yellowish teeth gleaming beneath her dry lips. She was truly hideous.

“What do you want with me?” he demanded, trying in vain to hide how scared he was. But his voice shook with every word, and his eyes shone slightly. “Shiro and the others will find me! And if he finds out you hurt me...he’ll destroy you and everything you’ve worked for!”

Haggar cackled. “Oh, is that so? Well, I guess I shouldn’t drop you into the auger then.” Keith blinked, uncertain of what she meant, but as Haggar walked forward, he turned to see what she was moving towards. There was a large slot in the wall, through which, there appeared to be another room. It was much to small for anyone to fit through...except of course, for Keith. “The experiment was a success, I no longer have use for you. But you can rest well, knowing that your final act will be to fuel the prisoners aboard this ship.” Keith didn’t have time to react. The hand pressed tight against the slot, and he was forced through the opening, landing on a steep metallic slope which he rolled down before landing in a pile of brownish-purple mush that reeked to high heaven. He plugged his nose, listening to Haggar’s cackling slowly fade into the distance. He had no idea where he was or what was going on, but he needed to get a better view of his surroundings. 

The room appeared to be perfectly circular, forming a tall shaft that sloped in towards the bottom, where the strange, putrid mush was collected. As his eyes adjusted, he also noticed a tall, metallic rod in the center, with a thin blade spiraling all the way around it. He now understood why Haggar called it an auger. As he took in everything around him, the reality of what this room’s purpose was dawned on him. It was like a giant grinder. Whatever this stuff was...it was going to get ground down, and he would be mixed with it! Panicking, he struggled to climb out, running up to the slope, but unable to find purchase on its slick surface. As he tried desperately to get out of his situation, he heard a loud, mechanical buzzing, followed by a slurping sound. The mushy ground beneath him shifted, and he turned to see the auger moving, slowly twisting and forcing the mush down towards the center.

“No!” he cried, scrambling to get out. “Help! Get me out of here!” He could feel himself moving down with the rest of the mush, which he figured by now was some kind of meat...prisoners or animals, he didn’t want to know. The auger spun faster now, accelerating the process. He could hear the sickening sound of the meat being ground and mixed together. He wasn’t about to get ground up with it. “LET ME OUT! PLEASE! SOMEONE, ANYONE! SHIRO!” His voice quaked, and tears welled in his eyes. Running against the sloped wall, his slipped and fell, falling on his back into the mush, where he found himself stuck. He looked up in horror at the spinning auger, as he was sucked closer to the machine that would soon grind him into nothing.


	5. Chapter 5

Shiro was numb. If there was anything going on outside his mind, he was unaware of it. He had been captured, and was now sitting in the all-too-familiar cell of a Galra ship. He didn’t attempt to resist when the guards took him. To him, there was no reason to. He had failed Keith not once, but twice. The first time, he nearly crushed Keith himself. Now he was in a situation where there was no hope of saving him, or even finding him. He simply laid in the corner, limp and silent, ruminating on all the ways he went wrong, how Keith must have felt when he was taken due to Shiro’s negligence, and—worst of all—what befell Keith after they took him. Perhaps Haggar simply crushed him herself, or his death was slow and prolonged. He wondered how Keith felt before he died...betrayed by his leader. Even if, by some miracle, Keith was still alive on the ship somewhere, there was nothing that could be done. Shiro couldn’t fix this. He had been doubting himself for a while, but now he was certain that he was unfit to be the Black Paladin. He hoped he would get what he deserved.

The cell door opened. Shiro didn’t move or make any indication at all that he was aware of someone else in the room. A shadow fell over him, and a strange metallic hum filled the air.

“Can’t believe he just gave up like this,” came a gruff voice from above. “The pilot of the Black Lion...I certainly expected more from him. Let’s see, where is he bound for...really?” The humming noise stopped. Only then did Shiro glance up, taking in the sight of a tall guard looking at a holographic display that was being projected from his arm. “Why would Zarkon want him in the stadium again? I thought he’d want to meet him personally. Whatever, I have to follow orders, don’t I?” He turned the projection off and walked over to Shiro, grabbing him by his neck and effortlessly hoisting him up with one hand. “Come on then, you’re coming with us now. Don’t try anything funny either. I’m authorized to use lethal force of you misbehave.” He said this with a nasty grin. 

* * *

Keith was fighting for his life. Any second now, the auger would grind him into paste. He could feel his legs sinking into the mush around him, and knew that he wouldn’t be able to escape. He closed his eyes and cowered, praying that it would be quick. As he drew closer, however, the auger began to slow. He could now see the metal spiral gently moving the remaining mush down. He didn’t know where he’d end up, but if he timed it just right…. He pulled himself free and let himself sink into a gap between the metal plates, curling up tight as he was pushed down through a long tube. The mush was now thoroughly mixed, and as it fell free, Keith found himself tumbling into a massive bin, which at his size, was larger than an Olympic swimming pool. Buried up to his chest in smelly much, he covered his nose and made an attempt to pull himself free, only to find himself being moved. It seemed like the bin was being transported elsewhere. He froze and stopped trying to pull free, instead electing to allow himself to sink lower and be less visible. He was pretty sure that he wasn’t supposed to be alive right now, so if any Galra found him, they might try to finish the job. He remained motionless, keeping his eyes up to see where he was going to next. 

A door opened, and he was taken into a larger room. He couldn’t see much except for what was above him, but it looked like some sort large hall.

“Food’s here!” called a voice from right above him. Keith covered his ears and turned, his eyes widening in shock. He didn’t even realize that there was someone pushing the cart all along. A massive Galra clad in simple garb...Keith figured he wasn’t a soldier. The giant lifted up the bin, and Keith felt himself being carried over, before being dropped with a massive thud that shook Keith to his core. He barely had time to recover from this when his vision was filled with a myriad of bizarre faces and creatures. He expected more Galra to show up, but instead, the beings who approached were all very different from one another, dressed only in black and violet rags. He figured these must be prisoners. 

To his shock, the mush beneath him shifted, and he turned again to see a large spoon descending into the bin to pull out a large, steaming glob, which was unceremoniously dropped into a small bowl that an alien with eight tearful eyes was staring into. Keith realized, with horror, that if he didn’t act soon, he would be served up to these aliens, and he might get eaten! Again, he tried to struggle to break free, but he also knew that if the Galra saw him, he could be in serious trouble. How was he going to get out?

* * *

Shiro continued shuffling his feet as the guard led him down the corridor. He kept staring at the floor, half-expecting Keith to come running out from the side into his field of vision. Of course, he knew it wasn’t going to happen. Keith was taken captive by Haggar, and she wasn’t likely going to want to keep him alive. He continued like this until the guard had to hold his hand up to stop him. He was so focused on the floor beneath them that he didn’t realize they’d come to a door. The guard put his hand up to a scanner, and the door opened, revealing a sight that Shiro immediately remembered. This was a mess hall, where he and the other prisoners were kept and fed a disgusting mash of who-knows-what. He could see several other aliens, each staring miserably into their tiny bowls of what Shiro would hesitate to call ‘food’. But, to them, it was all they were able to eat. Their only other choice was starvation. Shiro was pushed into the room, where he stumbled forward listlessly, and the guard stepped back, the door closing in front of him. 

Shiro never felt like eating when he was their prisoner for a year, but he certainly didn’t feel like eating now. He couldn’t stop thinking about all the ways he went wrong, how he never should have taken Keith with him on the mission, and the others...where were they? Did they turn back? Did they give up? He hoped they did. He didn’t know how he could face Allura and the other Paladins, knowing that it was his fault Keith was gone. He’d lied to them, and in time, they’ll discover his lie. He grit his teeth and clenched his fists, leaning over onto a table as tears stung his eyes. He had done so many horrible things...perhaps Sendak was right. He was no better than the Galra. 

“Excuse me, are you hungry?” Shiro blinked and turned around. A small alien with a large, oblong head and a single, staring eye was looking up at him, holding two bowls. “I know how scary it must be, being taken and alone, but our Galra masters are very cruel. We aren’t sure when we’ll be allowed to eat again, so we must take advantage of this. Please, you must eat.” She held the bowl up to him, expecting him to take it, But Shiro only glanced down, biting his lip.

“...I don’t want any, thank you.” He said after a moment of hesitation. His voice was dry and quiet. The alien sighed, but she placed the bowl on the table beside him anyway before leaving to join the others.  
* * *

Keith tried to stay out of sight, but remaining hidden was proving to be impossible, as the large spoon dipped down into the mush again, forcing him to crawl and swim away from it. “H-Help!” he whimpered, not sure if he would rather be seen and killed or go unseen and shoved into an alien creature’s mouth. As he stumbled and sank into the mush again, the spoon came down, its gleaming surface reminding Keith of a flying saucer, at least, the one’s he’d seen in old movies as a kid, and like those flying saucers, it was coming to take him away. “NO!” he cried out, as the spoon scooped him up, and he went flying towards a massive bowl. The spoon turned, and he felt himself being pulled down, the mush cascading with him. He tumbled out with a futile scream, with no time to react, as the remaining mush was piled on top of him, burying him in the putrid, messy pile. He coughed and gagged, struggling to make it back to the surface before he drowned in the stuff. He could feeling himself being moved as well, and as he broke the surface, taking deep, greedy breaths of air, he could see the massive figure of a weird alien creature carrying him away. He wasn’t sure if she’d be able to hear him, but he needed to get help. 

“DOWN HERE!” he cried, flailing his arms. “HEY, LOOK DOWN, IN THE BOWL! PLEASE, HELP ME!” But the alien took no notice of him. Keith hated this feeling, of being close enough to hear someone, to talk to someone, but going totally unnoticed. He was truly tiny. He felt the alien stop and looked up, wondering why. When he turned to see where the alien was looking he felt his heart soar. There stood Shiro, alive and well, it seemed, though his face was stricken with grief. “SHIRO! SHIRO, I’M DOWN HERE, IN THE BOWL!” yelled Keith, smiling for what seemed like the first time in ages. “SHIRO, PLEASE! I’M RIGHT DOWN HERE!” Of course, Shiro couldn’t hear him. He could hear their conversation though, and wondered what would happen to him if Shiro refused the bowl. This was his only opportunity of being saved...but if Shiro didn’t take it….

The brief moment of relief faded to horror when Keith heard Shiro refuse. “What, no...NO! SHIRO, DON’T, PLEASE, IT’S ME! I’M HERE, IN THE BOWL! SHIRO!” He was scared he’d be taken away again, but thankfully, the kind alien left the bowl on the table anyway. Keith kept struggling, trying to move toward the side of the bowl. If he could just climb out…but the sides were too slick, and he was completely soaked in the disgusting mush. He kept his eyes on Shiro though, knowing that if he just looked down, he’d be saved. Shiro, meanwhile, took a seat at the table, and with a sigh, pulled the bowl closer to him. Keith’s eyes lit up. “Yes! Good job Shiro! Now, just look down...come on Shiro...Shiro? Shiro, look—look down!” To his frustration, the Black Paladin was staring off into space. He saw Shiro lift up a spoon and grumbled. “Shiro, not you too! Look—into—the—bowl! SHIRO!” The spoon descended, diving into the mush and taking a large glob up with it, which Shiro shoved into his mouth, his face turning sour as he forced the unpalatable mess down his throat. Keith grunted as he tried to back off from the spoon, but swimming through the gunk had tired him out. He fell back, panting, as he was forced to watch the spoon dip down again, right beside him, and he was lifted up, flying towards Shiro, towards his forlorn face and partially open mouth. Keith panicked, curling himself up. “SHIROOOOO!” he screamed. “DON’T EAT ME!”

Shiro froze, the spoon inches from his mouth. He could have sworn he heard...but it was impossible. He had to be hearing things. Then, again, he heard Keith’s distinctive voice crying out for help, for Shiro not to eat him. But that didn’t make sense, unless he—….

Shiro looked down, finally, and there in the spoon, covered head to toe in disgusting gray gunk, was Keith, his minuscule eyes wide with terror, his arms raised in supplication. Shiro felt his heart skip a beat, and he nearly dropped the spoon that was holding Keith up. His hand flew up over his mouth, and he blinked, half-believing that he was seeing things too. But no, it was Keith, alive and well, for the most part. He couldn’t believe it. 

“Keith,” he muttered softly, his huge eyes glistening as they observed him. “You’re...alive? But I thought—are you hurt? Did they—what happened? How did—?” It was clear that Shiro had many questions, and was trying to ask them all at once. Keith smiled, wiping a glob of mush form his face.

“I’m okay, I think,” he called up. “Haggar put me inside this huge machine with the rest of this gross stuff. The auger was supposed to grind me up, but I survived, and I fell in with the rest of it all, which is how I ended up here. What about you? How did you get captured?”

Shiro tensed. “I...well, I sort of let them capture me,” he admitted, looking off at the floor again.

“You WHAT?!” Keith bellowed, his angry voice sounding more like a faint squeak. “Shiro, why? Why would you do that? I thought you were going to fight them off! You know, avenge me!”

Shiro sighed. “I thought you were dead Keith. I thought Haggar had killed you. I couldn’t live with myself, because I knew it was my fault, so I figured...I guess I just knew that this is what I deserved. I don’t want to keep going if it means I have to go on without you. I...I need you, Keith.”

Keith didn’t know what to say. “Shiro, I...I’m flattered, but you know, I don’t want to see you suffer either. You’ve always been there for me, and I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you.” He looked around, rolling his lip under his teeth. “And it looks like, despite our reunion, we’re still in trouble. We’re both prisoners aboard this ship, and we don’t have a way to get back to the others.”

Shiro smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll find a way to get us home, I promise.”

Keith blinked. “How? You’ve already surrendered yourself to the Galra, and it’s not like you didn’t try to break free when you were captured last time.”

“Yes, but this time, I have the proper motivation.” Shiro looked down at Keith, narrowing his eyes. “You know, you’re awfully filthy.”

Keith looked bewildered. “We’re stuck on Galra ship and you’re worried about how I look?”

“Well, I know you probably want to get that stuff off you, right?”

“Umm...” Keith paused. “Well, it would be nice, but I don’t see how—“

Shiro brought the spoon closer. “Do you trust me? I know how to get you cleaned off, but it might be a little weird.”

Keith could feel Shiro’s hot breath blowing over him as he stared into his cavernous mouth. “Shiro, don’t tell me you’re going to….” He gulped. Shiro was actually considering doing this. It was crazy. “You can’t be serious!”

Shiro stopped. “Sorry, if you don’t want to do this, I understand. It’s a little scary for you, isn’t it?”

Keith gulped as he looked up at Shiro’s concerned face, then back into his mouth. He closed his eyes and nodded. “...Okay, do it. I trust you Shiro, just please be careful, okay? I don’t want to get digested.” He tightened his fists as he stared into the massive mouth, and Shiro brought the spoon in. Hot, wet air blasted Keith’s face as he entered, and he could hear the sound of Shiro’s tongue beneath him sliding against his teeth. His lips closed around the spoon, sealing Keith in darkness. Just as he was having second thoughts, he felt himself fall onto Shiro’s massive tongue, the soft, undulating surface tossing him around inside his mouth. Keith whimpered, hoping that Shiro knew how fragile he was. One wrong move, and he could get crushed between Shiro’s molars, or fall down the back of his throat. But instead, he was gently pressed against the roof of Shiro’s mouth. A slow sucking motion sent him sliding back, and he could feel himself being drenched in saliva, wondering how this was supposed to clean him up. He was rolled forward, gently tossed, and turned over again, as Shiro made sure to get him as clean as he could. Keith was certain this is what it was like to be inside of a washing machine. 

Finally, after a few more tosses, Shiro’s mouth opened, and Keith went sliding out into the cool air outside, the sudden chance in pressure, moisture, and temperature almost shocking him. He felt himself about to fall off the tongue, and he cried out, but of course, Shiro wasn’t going to let him fall. A gloved hand caught him, and he tumbled forward, laying down for a moment to recuperate. Keith was indeed much cleaner now, though he had quite a bit of saliva on his jacket, and his mullet was roughed up. Shiro looked down at him, concerned.

“Are you alright?” he asked, lifting Keith up closer to his face. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

Keith stumbled a bit as he stood on the uneven surface of Shiro’s hand. “N-No, I’m fine. That uh...that wasn’t bad honestly. Thanks.” 

Shiro smiled. “Anytime. Now, how do you feel about getting the heck out of here?”

Keith straightened his jacket and slicked his hair back. Though he was not much bigger than Shiro’s fingertip, he had to admit, being around him at this size was starting to prove interesting, at least. He wanted to grow big again, of course, but for the time being, as long as he was with Shiro, he knew he’d be okay.

“I thought you’d never ask.”


End file.
